Chrome and Ice
by KrazyMusician
Summary: The last thing Alexis expected was to wake up, barely alive in a Decepticon base lab awaiting experimentation. The Decepticons plan to control humanity by using their own kind against them through mechanization. Starscream x Alexis Primeverse
1. Sequence 1: Plastic Life

Chrome and Ice

**A/N: This is a repost from my old account RockTheKaos. I'm back to my original account.**

** Summary: It was just a normal school day for Alexis; she had no plans to wake battered and barely alive in a dark, filthy medical lab with half of her internal organs missing. The Decepticons start a disgusting new side project-transforming humans into a type of eradicon; a humans-sized, cyborg form that over time, will slowly be transformed into full robotic forms. They call them "minicons," for mini eradicon. The advantages? Full infiltration of human facilities, hiding in plain sight, easier control and manipulation of other humans without holograms; and, if any Autobots try to interfere, they have "human" lives to use against them. Alexis is now thrown into a battle for survival, fighting to keep her human mind while conforming to the Decepticons' power politics to buy time. Partnered with the sarcastic, slimy second in command of the Decepticon army, she does what she must to survive, even if it means killing her own kind. Starscream x Alexis in the TFP verse. Not totally AU, but it branches off.**

**It's been a while since I've tried writing anything for this fandom; I've tried in vain many times to bring my fandom back, but it died for a few good 3 years. I'm glad to have it revived, finally, fully. Not forced. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Alexis is from Transformers Armada, not mine. Transformers Prime is also (c) to Hasbro. I own nothing!**

I try to get over my fear of falling

And calm the rage inside

Medicate my nerves so I can't feel this

I was lost but I was only human

I'm alright

Now I can't feel a thing

Only fear in life is living

A heart made of chrome and ice

I can't feel this plastic life

-Picture me broken,"Dead Serious"

Chapter 1: Plastic Life

One moment, she had been sitting in class. Just one moment, just one breath in time had completely ripped away from her, leaving her in the dark. No history teacher, no chatter of gossiping girls or sniggering of class clowns in the back, nothing. When Alexis had wished for an escape from another lecture on how corn established modern society, she pictured a surprise fire drill or blackout. Not this.

A flat, cold slate table pressed into her back, while strong thermoplastic straps restrained her skinny form and constricted the air out of her starving lungs. She inhaled deeply, fighting against the crushing pain of her restraints to test her amount of room to move. The straps proved stubborn, unyielding to her attempts to stretch them; a sudden sharp pain in the joint of her arm flared. Daring to look down, Alexis could make out a large mass of wires and tubes emerging from needles in the junction between forearm and upper arm. She suppressed a scream. The air tasted of iron and toxic chemicals she failed to identify; the very atmosphere hung heavy and hot with too much carbon dioxide. If she stilled, she could make out the hum of machinery.

Don't panic. Don't panic, Alexis repeated over and over in her head like a mantra. She tried to wrack her brain for how she ended up in this place. Did she fall asleep? Black out?

Her head swam with images, some vivid and others transparent. What she recalled made her blood turn to ice. Disturbing pictures filled her memory, images of explosions and fire ravaging her school, students running wildly in every direction to save their own lives, trampling over one another to reach cover. The sick crack of bone as students struggled over one another to get away, the metallic whirr and screech of metal on metal as something invaded the school.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not pinpoint the source of the shining clawed limbs that reached out in her memory; spindly monstrosities that lashed out, grabbing for students and tearing them out of the wreckage, ripping others completely apart. Her history teacher-one of the clawed monsters had torn him completely open. She had turned to run, not looking back at the sickly organic mess that hit the floor and blocking out the sound of his strangled scream. In her escape, she had dashed directly into the tongues of red flame devouring the school. She had burned alive.

"I should be dead," Alexis muttered aloud to no one. The realization dripped on her sanity like raw acid.

"Primus, it took you long enough to come online, fleshbag," a scratchy, deep voice rumbled from within the darkness. "Any longer and we would have disposed of you. Your kind are only of use to us if we can keep you...maintained."

The sound resonated deep with in Alexis's bones, chilling her to the core. Raw fear spiked, setting her nerves on edge. Her eyes darted about wildly, desperately searching for source of the voice. It seemed to fill the space from all directions, its echo rebounding off of the metallic walls and ringing heavily in her ears. Sweat beaded on her brow, and her hands shook. She struggled desperately to mask her fear, not wanting to show weakness before whatever monstrosity had brought her here.

"W-What, no warm welcome?" she shot back into the darkness. Her voice skipped as she spoke, betraying her fear. Maybe if she communicated with this being, she would get a few answers about her location and talk her way into finding a way out alive.

Alexis could almost feel this being grinning at her, wherever or whatever it was. "This is certainly interesting. This is usually the point where your kind begin to scream and plead for mercy or demand their freedom."

"Most evil captors tend to prattle on about their diabolical plans first before getting to that," she replied, fighting to stall for time. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out numerous sharp objects and tools within the space, all clustered around where she lay. She needed to buy time if she didn't want any of it embedded in her skin, or worse.

"Evil?" the voice sounded amused. "Ah, my dear, now this is merely a matter of perspective."

The sound of clanging filled the space, probably the creature moving; though whether it walked toward her or away from her, Alexis could not tell. Her eyes met with two shining red lights in the darkness, locking gaze with the captor. She could feel her insides knotting together. The lights circled her, signaling it pacing her. Whatever this thing was, it was tall, and more than likely could break her with a flick of its fingers.

"Is fulfilling a goal to save your fellow soldiers evil? What about taking a risk to obtain something that could potentially benefit the empire you want to build for your people? Now, that strikes me as more of a noble gesture, at least by your human terms..."

"An empire, huh? For what? An alien race? An army of giants?" she questioned, trying to keep him occupied as she scanned for a nearby object she could use to free herself.

A large hand with long, spindly fingers slammed down on the table next to her, sending tools flying. The red lights of its eyes beamed closer to her, full of impatient, suppressed fury. Absolute fear gripped her at the sight of its anger; she began to shake again. "Fool. If you think playing games with me will delay me any further, you are very wrong. I do not waste time on such lowly life forms as your kind."

"Then why bother? You could do us both a favor by letting me go and getting me out of your hair for good!" Alexis's voice cracked, her entire form trembling. It was a risky thing to say, but she had to try.

The metallic being emitted a cackle, its 'eyes' focusing on her again with condescension. "If you would like to try and escape on your own, be my guest. Your puny human aft will not make it very far if you try."

Aft? What in the world is that...? she saved the thought for later; any escape plan would take careful planning and thought. "So..." she exhaled shakily, blowing her sweaty bangs out of her face. "Is this the part where you tell me about your master plan?"

"Well, if you insist," it smirked back at her. The red light of its 'eyes' glowing against its teeth. "Allow me to properly introduce myself, fleshbag."

It flicked a switch, a blinding light suddenly jolting on above her; she barely caught a glimpse of its face as her entire vision was bleached with white. Alexis shut her eyes against the harsh glow, blinking slowly to adjust before glaring defiantly back at him. It wanted to see her fear, it found a sort of sick amusement in her torment. If it slaughtered her tonight she didn't want to go down shaking and crying, weak.

"I am Lord Starscream of the Decepticon army of Cybertron. And you, human, along with select others of genetic superiority, serve a very unique purpose to us. In short, my race has been fighting a civil war for countless millennia..." the being continued to pace around her, turning to face away for a moment as it gazed into nothingness, lost in a fantasy of universal domination. It turned back to her, its grin widening as it spoke.

"This makes no sense to you of course, but that is not important now. Your conversion process has begun, the first stage was a success. All that matters is strengthening you at this point and preparing you for the next stage."

Alexis began putting the pieces together, her skin crawling as her eyes darted from the vast array of sharp instruments to the mass of tubes sticking out of her arm. An alien race, a civil war, plans for attack, need for new weapons. This was not good. "Next...stage of what?"

"You see, your planet is full of resources that my soldiers need, and that I require personally to advance forward with my plan," It-Starscream-answered, stepping forward into the lighting for her to see.

The being was absolutely terrifying-all angles and sharp silver planes interlocking with red and black. Pointy jet wings jutted out from either side on its-his?-back, creating ominous shadows on the wall behind him. All red eyes and sharp teeth, smirking down at her akin to the way a mischievous child does a favorite toy, or a wolf its prey.

"Other than the amount of energon-our life source and fuel-this planet offers, it also has a small but sentient population that can serve as excellent workers for the new empire; or, for now, as a weapon resource we can use to our advantage." The Decepticon continued, "As puny as your race is, it controls its own mines and government. You can fit into small spaces, extract the energon from places we cannot reach so easily. But to control such a race, you need to use their best asset against them..."

He leaned close, putting one of those needle-tip fingers under her chin. Alexis stiffened, daring not to move a muscle or breathe lest she slit her own throat open. A trickle of blood ran down her neck from the puncture wound. She held his glare.

"And nothing is quite such a wonderful motivator as fear itself. Better yet, fear instilled in one by one's own kind."

"W-What are you getting at?" she choked out, trying her best not to look away and break her glare.

"My minions are known as Eradicons. You will be slowly changed from this disgustingly organic form into a superior body of your same build and size. You will still look human on the outside, but your internals will consist of mechanics to enhance your strength, speed, and of course, durability. The process has already begun. Yours is quite successful so far in its entirety. Have you noticed yet that your heartbeat is absent? You hunger for nothing? It is all a matter of time until you are completely independent of basic human needs.."

Alexis paled. How on earth was this possible? Removing someone's stomach, digestive tract and heart? What else had they taken from her? How as she even alive and breathing now? What could his blasted army possibly want with a human sized weapon when they were as tall as buildings?

Starscream stepped back, but drew a claw across her cheek, creating a long red welt that flowed freely with blood. "Your very biology is changing. Your blood is slowly becoming more acidic. You will not have need of it, but in the case an enemy wounds you, they will be burned."

"Why in the HELL are you doing this?" she shouted, her voice strangled in the back of her throat.

"I have already explained the uses of your kind to me-to manipulate your own. Decepticons and Autobots cannot go out into broad daylight and generally aim to remain unseen from human eyes for a very reasonable purpose... We currently lack the required number to proceed with a full invasion..."

"You're a coward," Alexis growled, cutting him off mid-sentence. He hissed back at the insult, tightening her restraints under she could hardly gasp in the tiniest bit of air. His expression held nothing short of absolute fury, the urge to rip her apart and string her insides out like lighting decorations.

"You won't have need for your lungs eventually, anyway," he hissed. "Call me a coward again, and I'll see to it to end your life in the slowest and most painful way possible."

One spindly claw pressed harder into her throat. "Do we have an understanding?"

"This isn't over," she glared back, even though pain shot through every fiber of her being, dread knotting her insides together.

"We'll have to see about that, fleshbag."

"I have a name, you know! It's-"

"I am very well aware of your background information, puny meatbag. But not to worry, with a new body comes a new name. As of now you are No. 302. You won't need a human name obstructing your new status in serving the Decepticon army..."

He turned to leave, glancing once back at her with a nasty grin, "You will be checked on periodically; our medics will see to it that you survive. Or, at the very least, they will try their best. They've learned not to play too much with organics, as your kind is so fragile..."

"There is no way in hell I'm going to serve your army, you bastard! Get me out of here! Release me!" she shouted. "Get back here, Starscream!"

"How rude of me to not properly make the new rules of our little arrangement clear. It is Master to you."

A/N: What do you think? Good, bad? Review please! I like critique! Anonymous reviews enabled! I'll try to update soon!

-RTK

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	2. Sequence 2: Cat and Mouse

Chrome and Ice

**A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate all the feedback you all have given me! I love criticism, be it positive or negative. A special thanks goes out to Mazamba for all the medical insight! Well, enough of my babbling. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Transformers Prime and Armada belong to Hasbro and their respective companies.**

_Wake up to this nightmare that will never end_

_The main attraction of this twisted master plan_

_When I can feel my skin crawl, when I'm about to crack_

_The hunger for revenge gives me strength to stand_

_-Fade, "One Reason"_

**Chapter 2: Cat and Mouse**

"Lousy flesh-bag! How are we ever going to make anything out of you if you fight like a blasted _sparkling_? Even the Autobots would be embarrassed."

Barely an hour had passed since Alexis had begun her training with another human lab rat, and already her limbs were shaking from exhaustion. Starscream's consistent nagging had done little to focus her. Her opponent nearly doubled her in size and stature, knocking blow after blow into her with the power of a freight train.

"Keep your hands up. How are you supposed to take on a Cybertronian if you can barely handle this?"

Alexis jumped to her feet, thrusting her fists up in front of her, trying to stare down the hulking mass of human scrap before her. Thickly corded muscular flesh melded into metallic arms, slimy clear tubes and wires coiling in and out of his joints. He could kill her with one strike, were he agile enough. She bolted forward, trying to land at least one hit on him. He dodged every hit, lumbering out of the way clumsily. Another punch sent her flying backwards, tumbling head over heels until she collided with the concrete wall behind her like a rag doll.

Every muscle ached, every joint in her body cracked as she stood once more, barely dodging another sucker-punch. The only advantage she had at this point was her reflexes; her muscles had yet to undergo transformation. She had caught on quickly—Starscream was setting her up to fail.

"It would be such a shame to toss you out so soon, though there are plenty more humans where you came from, my dear…"

Alexis seethed at the obvious grin in his voice. It made her blood boil with disdain. He wanted a good show, and she knew it; none of the real fighting or training would take place until she actually infiltrated an area with regular humans in it. This was just a warm up, a game. After all, most people had no problem fighting back against a faceless, violent monster like the opponent before her.

The real challenge would be taking out another human, an innocent life victimized by alien warfare.

Without thinking, she stepped forward and jabbed with all of her strength, delivering a sharp uppercut to her opponent's jaw. The force of the impact rattled all the way up her arm, splitting the flesh around her sore knuckles. She caught herself before she staggered back, retaining a strong stance.

"Fuck!" the guy shouted, clutching his jaw in pain, "You practically rearranged my skull with that hit! Little kitten's got claws after all…Hah…"

That lit a fire in Alexis's belly. Said comment earned her opponent a series of kicks and punches, each more powerful than the last. Alexis gave him no time to retaliate from each hit, instead striking him when he paused to wipe sweat from his forehead or recover from a wound. It was foul play, fighting dirty—but how else could she beat this bastard before he pounded her into a fleshy pulp?

Starscream's red eyes—optics, as she learned they were called—shrank to two amused slits at her sudden display of brutality. "Well done, 302. I did not think you had it in you. You are finally learning the first lesson of battle—always target an enemy's weakness and use it against them. There is no fair play in war."

Defeated, the opponent fell to his knees and spat out something black. Dried blood stained his gums, but the ichor that came out of his throat was something else entirely—dark energon and blood, mixed together. It was liquid poison to humans, and the Decepticons had been feeding their experiments with small doses of it daily, right along with their sucrose injections. She looked away.

Alexis straightened her posture, wiping her sweaty bangs out of her face and fixing Starscream with a glare. "You underestimate me too often."

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself," the Decepticon sneered, "You barely pass your tests as it is. If you wish to sail through this smoothly, flesh-bag, you will have to work harder."

Alexis snorted at the irony. She had been a straight A student in high school, never once missing an assignment or failing a test in anything, for that matter. She was the quiet kid, the one everyone wanted to copy homework from. How quickly all that had changed…

"I'd love to stand here all day and listen to you nag, but my blood sugar is pretty low. Do you mind?" she asked, crossing her arms to hide her hyperventilating hands.

"Watch your tongue, or you will lose your privilege to speak," he hissed, "Don't think I won't order Knockout to cut it out right now."

"Sir, I require my sucrose injections," she said through gritted teeth, lowering her glare in submission.

"Ah, ah, ah. You are forgetting the magic word, my dear…"

Her fists clenched tightly, shaking from spent adrenaline and building rage. "Please," she ground out.

"You are forgetting my proper title, meat-sack. I suppose you shall have to go without your rations this afternoon, after all…"

This would never get any easier; the more she resisted him, the faster her muscles would decay; soon her body would eventually stop working. She had to beat him, beat this situation by surviving.

"Master," Alexis growled, "…Please."

His smirk appeared in the dim light of the sector, reflecting the demonic glow from his optics. "Of course." The way he said it—it almost sounded drawn out, pleasurable, like he got off on her submission. The very thought made her sick.

Adding insult to injury, Starscream offered a hand out to her; he was going to carry her, like a bloody pet! She, like all of the other human experiments, had to walk from place to place with the other Decepticons; despite the fact they all ran the risk of becoming muck on the bottom of a giant foot.

Alexis could only glare daggers at him as she stepped up onto his palm. His 'generous offer' was far from a request. He owned her, and took every opportunity he could to prove it to her. An icy metal claw stroked through her hair, down the side of her face and arm with perfect precision. His touches made her want to shiver and recoil in disgust. She stood firm, unmoving, unfeeling—every bit the soldier he wanted her to be.

Starscream emitted a low chuckle before spinning on one heel and making his way to the infirmary. Knockout was already there when they arrived, sifting through a large pile of maintenance tools.

"Knockout! You fool, what are you doing here? You are supposed to be tending to the other experiments!" the leader hissed.

"Hold your horses, 'Screamer. They're fine. I'll be out of here in no time. I was just looking for my buffer. The paint's been looking a little dull today, haven't you noticed?" Knockout twisted around, flexing one shiny, perfect red arm to make a point.

"Of all the idiotic ways you choose to waste your time-!"

Alexis found herself dumped unceremoniously onto a large countertop as Starscream turned to chew out the medic. She couldn't help but bite back a laugh. Knockout may have carried out all the disgusting procedures that turned humans into cybernetic freaks, but once you got past that, he wasn't so bad. He was the only 'Con on this base with a sense of humor, and treated the 'minicons' like the experiments they were. Knockout made sure they ran and had proper maintenance, nothing more.

He didn't take some sort of sick pleasure in forcing their submission. Not like Starscream did.

However, Alexis breathed a sigh of relief. For once Starscream had someone else to bitch to. She tilted her head, getting a better look at him from the back. For an evil alien robot overlord, he had some of the curviest hips she had ever seen. It took all of her self-control not to burst into a fit of laughter at that thought.

"…if you continue to waste my time and ignore your duties, I will have your head severed and mounted above my throne, do you understand?" the Decepticon leader growled, placing his claws firmly on his hips.

Despite his terrifying appearance, everything about Starscream seemed a little flamboyant somehow. The high boots, the curved lines of his slender body, those legs and hips—it was sometimes hard to believe the entire human race was at the mercy of a robot with the attitude of a teenage girl. A snicker escaped from her lips before she could contain it.

"Do you find something amusing, flesh-bag?" he sneered, turning around to lunge at her. His claws glinted menacingly in the low lighting, a promise to gut her if she so much as stepped out of line once.

Alexis's laughter died instantly, her voice caught in the back of her throat. No matter how flamboyant and feminine he was, Starscream still controlled her—all of them.

"No, Sir."

His red glare shot straight through her like a laser. "No…Master," she corrected quietly.

"What was that?"

"No. Master," she annunciated, biting back a snarl.

"I see you learn quickly," he said in a calmer tone, approaching her with that infuriating grin of his.

Two sharp needles penetrated her elbow, simultaneously injecting her with poison and sustenance. The dark energon flooded through her veins quickly, pounding in her brain with such an intensity she nearly doubled over.

"Take it easy, 'Screamer. Any more energon and she'll liquefy," Knockout commented, sifting through more tools. "Aha!" he exclaimed triumphantly, pulling out his buffer and smiling into his own reflection with enough vanity to rival Narcissus. "I thought I was a goner."

"I'll give you a few new gouges to buff out if you don't get back to work."

Knockout recoiled in mock horror, then smirked and winked at Starscream as he headed for the door, "I'm on it, boss. Lighten up a little."

If Alexis had known any better, she would have suspected Knockout of flirting. Alien robots or not, they still mirrored humanity enough in certain aspects. She decided not to let her mind wander there.

"There is no time for such nonsense," Starscream grumbled, turning back to Alexis with a nasty smirk. "The Autobots have been spotted nearby. We may be able to take our new little toys out for a test run sooner than we expected…"

**A/N: I hope you liked it! Short chapter, but the next should be good—we finally get to see some action from the Autobots. Stay tuned for Chapter 3, "Devil on my Shoulder"! **

**Before some of the readers freak out at that scene at the end, no, this is not a yaoi or slash story. I have nothing against yaoi, but the main couple will still be Alexis x Starscream. There may be hinted slash in the future between characters, but not much. Something just tells me Knockout swings both ways. Who knows for sure? **

**-KM**

**Review! Review! Review!**


	3. Sequence 3: Devil on my Shoulder

Chrome and Ice

**A/N: Thanks again for all the great reviews! You guys and your feedback are what keep me writing! We can finally see the Autobots in this chapter. A lot of reviewers seem to be curious about Megatron. Fret not! The true Decepticon leader will not be absent from this tirade. Also, a bit of twistedness between Starscream and Alexis is present. Think of it what you will. Enjoy! **

**Warning: violence, black humor, dark themes, etc. But nothing above a PG-13 rating, I can assure you. I did a lot of editing to make sure everything was kept in check. There is a relief at the end of this long monstrous chapter! I promise!**

**Disclaimer: Transformers belong to Hasbro.**

_Just like a cold alien injection_

_I'm feeling inside, my own distortion_

_Spinning around, my mind's connection_

_I feel voices inside like an infection_

_There is no cure for what I've been_

_And what I will be again_

_-Helalyn Flowers, "Voices"_

**Chapter 3: Devil on my Shoulder**

Mind spinning, gut twisting with nausea, Alexis felt nowhere ready for battle. Dark energon pumped through her artificial veins, the violet liquid slowly eating away at her core. It pounded heavily in her brain, causing her to hallucinate and hear strange voices. Training had become a chore; she could hardly focus with three different psychopaths chattering inside her mind. Ever since Starscream had increased the amount inside of her, she had remained bedridden for days, constantly purging everything in her system and falling into mad dazes where she would talk to herself and the intruders in her brain for hours.

What made him so impatient to transform her? She was merely one of dozens! Other human subjects had progressed wonderfully, already surpassing her in physical strength and brutality. Her intellect served as her only advantage in battle, and even now _that_ was slipping away with every drop of dark energon added into her system! The incredibly caustic substance would have killed her instantly had it not been for the Cybertronian tech absorbing all of it to fuel her semi-human body; it never reached her brain directly.

_I'm dying_, Alexis thought meekly to herself. She had spent the majority of the morning clinging to a waste bin as her body battled the energon from within. Her eyes blurred in and out of focus as she stared up at the ceiling in her bunker, struggling to stay conscious.

_**Dying? Now where would be the fun in letting you slip away so easily?**_ An impish voice chirped in the back of her mind. It rang louder than any of the others, tapping clearly into the subconscious place she retreated when she was alone. It always stayed with her, growing stronger with each passing day. It filled her mind with disgusting images of death and torture, things she would never even dream of happening in her worst nightmares.

"Leave me alone," Alexis grumbled aloud, pulling her blankets higher over her head. The thin fabric did little to give her warmth or comfort, but at least it provided some security against the intruder in her head.

"Good morning," a deep, scratchy voice echoed throughout the room.

Alexis could barely make out the shape of the imposing seeker slipping into the room. Bright light from the hallway seeped into the room upon his entry; as it blinded her, she curled deeper into her fortress of pillows and blankets. _Maybe he'll just go away if I ignore him…? _Sadly, that was never the case with the persistent Decepticon commander.

Starscream rolled his optics at the sight of Alexis cocooned in her own blankets. Pathetic flesh-bags. It was already past noon, and his minicon still remained in her berth. He supposed that no matter the species, some things were universal among teenagers.

"Are you not going to rise to greet your Lord and Commander?" he huffed, annoyed.

The ill human rolled over with a semi-audible '_mergh_' and placed the pillow over her head. _God, how long will I have to endure his nagging?_

"I have been rather kind with you since your illness. You should show me some _respect_," he threatened again, "I can just as easily have your rations cut back to _nothing_."

Although she knew she had started to push him, Alexis knew he would never go as far as to cut off her ration supply. She would die instantly if her systems fell out of balance. Dark energon possessed the same properties as a drug; without the small amounts of sucrose and regular energon absorbing the poison in her system, the substance would overwhelm her completely. Similarly, without the poison, her body would succumb to withdrawal and instantly fail her. If he wanted her dead, he would have taken care of that a long time ago.

For some reason, he wanted to keep her alive; he had already selected her as his minicon without even realizing it. Most people tended to favor like-minded company. As much as she hated to admit it, they shared a few basic qualities with one another, intelligence, stubbornness, and ambition among them. Perhaps he chose her because he could see how misunderstood they both were, alienated for their intellect but constantly used for it.

_**Sympathizing with the enemy already? It has barely been a few weeks and you have already gone soft, **_the voice teased. _**You have yet to even get to the fun part! Just wait until you see the first spattering of blood, the first sight of your victim writhing beneath you-!**_

"Are you even _listening_ to me?" the seeker hissed, voice drawing her back into reality. How long had he stood there rambling to her?

"No," Alexis grumbled, more in response to the horrid voice inside her head than Starscream himself. She realized too late what she had just said aloud. _Shit._

He let out a frustrated growl, the rumble shaking the walls around her. The vocal vibrations served as a reminder that she needed to think of something quickly before he chose to snap. If she had learned one thing about Starscream, it would be that he despised two things: others messing with his possessions, and insubordinate soldiers. She easily qualified with the latter, and remained in no position to challenge him.

Surprisingly, Starscream did not attack her. The human thought him an impulsive, selfish fool—a stubborn child that would eventually relent when reality failed to meet his demands. If threats had little effect on her, perhaps a different method would make her comply…

"Human…I do believe it is time for you to wake and greet your Master…"

Alexis had half a mind to tell Starscream where he could shove his greeting, but the feeling of arms snaking around her waist cut her off with a start. She jumped, but her struggles only caused the grip to tighten, drawing her against a very real, very human torso. She snapped around, making eye contact with the most smug-looking man she'd ever seen. Spiky silver hair fell across an angular face too perfect to be human, pale skin contrasting with the sharp red of his eyes.

"What the-?!"

"Human holograms are quite the trend these days for disguise," Starscream purred, his holo-form giving her a toothy smirk.

"Let go of me!" she hissed, smacking at him until they rolled off of the bed and crashed into an ungraceful heap of tangled sheets and limbs on the floor. Humiliation burned brightly on her cheeks when his hologram landed atop her, slim form trapping her from escape. Out of all the powers the Cybertronians possessed, why did he have to use _this_ one?

"Well, _that_ went well." His smirk widened considerably. "Do you like it? It is a new project of mine. I can also do this." Light enveloped the holo-form as it shifted again, re-appearing with a relatively human-sized version of Starscream himself. Alexis glowered at him in a mixture of fascination and horror. His hologram was electric to the touch, sending shivers across her skin; it made her wonder exactly how he managed this tangible illusion.

Once her moment of interest had passed, cold realization struck her hard when she discovered that, in this form, he could pursue a much more intricate means of punishment without having to worry about crushing her. The mere thought of claws on her skin made her sick again, causing her to scramble backwards in disgust. Spindly fingers wrapped around her wrists, pinning her in place. His optics only flashed in sadistic delight as she struggled and thrashed to get away.

"This form allows me to manage my minicons in a more efficient manner. Much more…up _close_ and personal, if you will." For emphasis, the commander pressed closer, heated metal plating smoldering against her clammy, icy skin. She instantly hissed in pain, the panels burning the flesh of her upper torso even through the fabric of her clothing. Why in the world was he so _warm_?

_Does he enjoy seeing me struggle, or…Oh GOD! No, Alexis, don't go there…I'm going to be sick…_

Alexis growled, desiring nothing more than to rearrange his faceplates. Her teeth ground together against the pain and her humiliation, not wishing to display any trace of emotion. "You have my attention..._Master_. What is it?"

The hologram laughed, his features dispersing into pixilated light before disappearing back into the commander. Her body immediately relaxed in relief without the hologram weighing it down. "A few days ago I debriefed you on our little 'test run'. That day, 302, is today. The Autobots have served as a constant roadblock to the Decepticons, as you know. It is time we use an alternate means of eradicating them, once and for all."

"And how, exactly, will a horde of human experiments accomplish that?" the girl asked, raising an eyebrow. Alexis doubted she could take on one Cybertronian, let alone an entire brigade of them.

"Optimus Prime, the wretched Autobot leader, has a soft spot for humans. He is weak. He believes it is the right of all species to survive. Such _nonsense_!"

"Let me guess: survival of the fittest, the strong will always conquer the weak, yadda, yadda, yadda…"

"Insolent brat! I was not finished! You see; Prime and his soldiers would never fire shots at another humanlike organism. In their eyes, you are captured and helpless, regardless of your actions. The fact you wear a human face will prevent them from destroying you. As a minicon, your objective is the same as the rest of them; find and infiltrate the Autobot base. Location is the first step. The Decepticons themselves will handle the hand-to-hand combat. If you encounter an Autobot in battle, for whatever reason, use your weapons to your advantage. Aim for their weak points, dodge their fire, and get to safety. It is quite simple."

"Why don't you just deliver me to their doorstep if they're so sympathetic? Save yourself the time, effort, and ammo," Alexis inquired. She despised having to put herself in a helpless position, but perhaps delivery to enemy soldiers allied with humans could finally get her to safety.

"We have to find it first, you dolt," Starscream stated. "Soundwave has intercepted a conversation between a human representative by the name of Fowler and the Autobots. Within a matter of hours, the Autobots will be meeting in a designated location to infiltrate an underground energon source. It is at an air base a few kilometers west of Jasper; you and I will blend _right_ in. "

"And this will lead you to their base, how, exactly?"

"The plan is to capture the Autobots' attention. Once their concern is wrapped around a human child in need of assistance, they will more than likely escort you straight to their base for examination. It will give me enough time to take the information I need from the humans' database. Consider it a reconnaissance mission of sorts—gain their trust," Starscream smirked. "I hope your acting skills are up to par."

Rage bubbled within her. "If you wanted a helpless human to act as your spy, why did you go through all the trouble of kidnapping a bunch of innocent kids and changing them into mechanical freaks the first place? You could've paid any rich scumbag to do it for you!"

"Bribery would require resources I cannot afford to waste on a mere selfish flesh-bag," Starscream seethed, "And what better subject to use than an adolescent? Every race has a soft spot for its _children_. It is perfect! And to think that old fool Megatron believed I would fail in my plans! Hah!"

Before she could respond to his despicable comment, his last words caught her attention. "Megatron? Who is that?"

The seeker paused in his ramblings, turning around to face her. "No one," he hissed, "Now, report to the main deck in half an hour. We will depart from there." With that said, he disappeared from the bunker.

Conflicted emotions surfaced in Alexis; on one hand, she may actually have a chance of escape; the Autobots could help her. Starscream, despite his intelligence, clearly was not the strongest or bravest Cybertronian warrior. On the other hand, would the Autobots really extend such kindness toward her? The Decepticons had taken her, transformed her into something horrific and terrible; in human eyes, she was nothing short of a monster. They could easily hand her over to the government for experimentation and study, in exchange for more energon.

_Stop pitying yourself. If you never take the chance, you'll be stuck here again. This may be your only shot. Don't screw it up_, Alexis reminded herself.

Determined, the minicon headed toward the med bay, hoping a bit of regular energon would settle her nerves. Despite the euphoria she felt at the thought of escaping, her head continued to pound uncontrollably. Starscream unnerved her. It could serve as an advantage for her to gain his favor, but if she did not want to discover the consequences of getting _too_ close. Hopefully after today she would never have to find out.

Knock Out awaited her in the med bay, tending to other minicon soldiers. Like Starscream had done earlier, the optics to Knock Out's true form were dimmed, a human-sized hologram of him going from patient to patient. The red medic's holo-form greeted her with a smirk as she entered. "Morning, flesh-bag. Ready for your first mission?"

"Knock Out," Alexis groaned, "Not you _too_."

"What are you talking about, Short Straw?"

"The holo-forms," she pointed out, "What's the point of making a smaller version of yourself?"

"Helps me work on these other flesh-bags at a faster pace. Also, this tech is pretty useful. We could use it more often on energon-gathering missions if it didn't drain so much of our energy. There's a distance limit on these, too. It's fragging annoying!"

"Well, could you give me a lift up there? I need to make sure everything's in order before I go on the battlefield," she called.

"Yeah, yeah." The holo-form disappeared, Knock Out's optics flashing to life before his real form shifted, offering her a palm. She stepped on, allowing him to lift her up to the counter. His hologram appeared once more, immediately checking her systems and scanning for any defects.

"Why not use your human form?" she questioned as he injected her with more energon. The pounding in her head did not relent, but at least she no longer felt like purging every few seconds.

His faceplates twisted in a hilariously overdramatic expression of disgust. "It's hideous," he stated, "The dull squishy substance you flesh-bags call "skin" is pretty boring. I like to _shine_. I want to look just as dashing at this size as I do in my original!"

Alexis sighed, glancing down at the burn across her torso. "Having metal in place of skin is starting to sound better and better. I never thought I'd say that, but after recent events..."

Knock Out eyed the reddened flesh with a questionable look. "What happened to you?"

"Starscream," she grumbled.

"I won't even ask," he commented, resuming his work on another patient next to her. "Looks like he branded you."

Alexis grimaced. "Gross. Don't even go there. Is that how Cybertronians identify their mates or something?"

"_Primus_, no," Knock Out said, turning around to face her again. He smirked, "And I thought you said not to go there."

"Well, if I'm becoming more Cybertronian I might as well learn about how they work. You see; on Earth there's this certain species of…"

"No offense, but hearing about earthling mating rituals doesn't sit too well with my tank, _thank_ you," Knock Out cut her off, waving his hands dismissively.

"Humans don't do it either, genius. You're supposed to know more about us, being a medic and all," Alexis replied.

"Organics aren't my area of expertise. _But_ since you're so interested in Cybertronian biology, I suppose I could tell you a few things," he said, smirk widening, "When two mechs love each other very much, they frag the slag out of each other by using a very special piece of equipment known as a s-…"

"THANK YOU, KNOCK OUT."

"No problem," he grinned, "Well, your vitals look good. I guess you should go ahead and get back to 'Screamer."

She raised an eyebrow at the nickname, "'Screamer? It fits him well. Especially since he seems to be in a constant state of robo-PMS."

"PM-what?"

"Look up human females. Honestly, you really don't want to know."

"I'll keep that in mind. Gender is such a weird concept. I'll never get why this planet's evolution is so picky about who can and can't reproduce," Knock Out replied. He smiled deviously again. "And just so you know, Starscream's attitude isn't the reason only why we call him _Screamer_."

"Again, thank you for that completely _unnecessary_ information," Alexis said as she stepped off the platform. The medic helped her off of the large counter so she could make her exit. With her systems in check, the minicon proceeded to the area designated for the main deck of the _Nemesis_; however, before she left the med bay, her eyes caught sight of a dark, vacant room. Naturally curiosity won over Alexis's rational mind. She could barely face Starscream at the moment, especially after this morning's encounter and her exceptionally _educational_ conversation with Knock Out.

Checking to make sure no one was watching, the girl slipped inside the dark space. Blackness enveloped Alexis as she entered the room, her eyes struggling to adjust to the light. The soft hum of machinery drowned out the echo of her shallow footsteps as she proceeded closer to the source of violet light in the farthest corner of the large area. The sight that greeted her sucked the breath right out of her instantly.

Wires and thick cables tumbled from the ceiling in abundance, spilling over and into a giant hulking mass of jagged metal plating. The mass moved upward suddenly with a hissing intake of air, causing her to jump back and throw her hands over her mouth in an attempt to silence her own scream. Air cycled out of the giant once more, its scarred torso deflating with the movement. It was _breathing_.

Unlike Starscream, Knock Out, and Soundwave, this being possessed the brawn of a true warrior in every aspect. Sharp, angular gladiatorial spikes protruded from each shoulder of its broad torso, chassis marred with dents and deep scarring in each plate. Heavy scarring lined its face, its jaw hinged open enough for her to spot a set of shark-looking teeth inside. A purple hue glowed faintly under the warrior's armor—dark energon. This being radiated with power and danger; its very presence caused her insides to knot together and tremble in fear.

"You must be Megatron…" Alexis mumbled, captivated by the sheer size and power of this mech.

"_You_," a shrill voice hissed from behind her. "_What_ are you doing in here?"

The minicon spun around and faced Starscream, posture rigid. Her limbs shook a bit in fear, but suddenly the jet seemed a small threat when compared to the hulking monstrosity of metal behind her. "I was about to head to the main deck, like you ordered. But I got sidetracked. This is your dirty little secret, _isn't_ it? Does your crew know you're keeping a fellow soldier locked down here in stasis?"

Starscream's optics widened in panic only for a split second, but Alexis caught every moment of it. Those red orbs told her everything she needed to know. He feared this 'Megatron', and saw him as a potential threat to his leadership. For all she knew, Megatron probably had commanded the Decepticon army before his stasis-lock. It would certainly explain how the coward had gained command of a powerful alien army.

"That is _none_ of your concern," the seeker shot back. He approached her in swift strides, curling his claws around her and wrenching her into the air before exiting the room. The doors slid closed with a loud _thud _behind them as the furious jet marched toward the main deck of the ship. He dodged every single question Alexis threw at him, but she already knew the answer. Starscream wasn't the true soldier in charge here—he was merely the sleazy stand-in for something greater and far more terrifying.

"What now?" Alexis tried again. "You haven't even given me orders for what you want me to do. Just show up, transform my arms into weaponry and cry 'Look what the Big Bad Decepticons did to me'?"

"Of course not, you fool. We need to get into the base first so I can extract the information I require from the flesh-bags. The Autobots will show up to save the day, naturally, and as I am retreating, you go with them. There is a tracking device embedded in a bundle of nerves at the base of your spine. You have a comm link as well, through which I will relay orders to you through your sojourn with them," he explained, activating an exit to the _Nemesis_.

Hot air blasted in on them from the opening, and Alexis found herself struggling to breathe as the oxygen levels in the room began to change. Her arms still remained trapped at her sides in Starscream's grip. She squirmed, "Anything _else_?"

The Decepticon commander smirked. "That is all, my dear. Except this—remember to hold on _tight_."

"What are you—AAAH!"

Violent blasts of wind choked the scream from the minicon's throat as Starscream threw himself out into the open air. Restraining claws suddenly released her, and she began to _plummet_. Her eyes widened in horror at the widespread view of the earth's surface, only now realizing just how high they were. Her limbs scrambled blindly for purchase to no avail, spark pulsing violently in her chest as gravity ripped her from the sky.

For a split second she hovered above the sprawling network of green and brown shapes that comprised the earth's surface, before strong metal walls closed in around the minicon. Starscream's jet form secured perfectly around her, and within moments strong safety belts snapped out to lock into place around her trembling form. A pilot's mask was made available to her, and she immediately locked it around her face, sucking in fresh oxygen. It took a good few minutes for the air to return to Alexis's lungs before she could form coherent words. "You _BASTARD_!" she shrieked, rage and adrenaline pumping through her veins like venom.

Cackling laughter shook the jet's interior around her, resonating deep in her bones. She growled. "You think that was _funny_?"

"Consider it payback for your little _detour_ to Megatron's quarters," came the reply. "Besides, you were perfectly equipped for the situation."

"How?" she exclaimed, absolutely enraged.

"Each minicon is provided with the weapons it requires to serve its purpose. I suggest you check your modifications. I had Knock Out install a little something _extra_."

Alexis glanced down at her body in paranoia. She had not dared to transform her limbs into weaponry since the first time she figured out she had the ability to do so. The way the skin of her arms split into small square panels and flipped inside out to take on a new shape disturbed her greatly. She felt content enough to get by with the blades she could materialize along her forearms during training; at least then she still appeared _somewhat_ human.

"The next time you find yourself in free-fall, activate your new modification. It should serve of good use to you. No other minicon has been given the ability to fly, so consider yourself lucky, flesh-bag."

_So that's it, then_, she thought as they headed in the direction of the human air base. She reached around, tracing between her shoulder blades. Sure enough, she could feel the twin indents in the paneling beneath her skin, no doubt signaling where her new human-sized jet wings and thrusters would extend if she dared to activate them. The minicons possessed no ability to transform into alternate modes, but some of their weapons resembled engine parts once their armor had fully activated.

This new information sent a storm of thoughts raging in her brain. He _did_ favor her, after all—this modification proved it. However, Alexis could not decide if gaining favor with the air commander would serve as a good or bad thing later on. _Hopefully after today, I'll never have to worry about finding out. Ever_.

Clouds parted, and the surface of the base came into view. Alexis clenched her fingers into the seat in anticipation, desiring nothing more to be free of this cockpit, free of this madman and his twisted ambitions. Her knuckles whitened, the upholstery beginning to crack beneath her fingertips with her inhuman strength.

A strangled cry echoed over her intercom link, rattling in her brain. "_Watch where you dig your grimy hands into, you disgusting piece of filth!_"

"Sorry," Alexis said innocently, hiding the mirth building inside of her; it never occurred to her that he could feel everything she did in here.

"_Stay focused on the mission. When we arrive on the building, stay in the cockpit until I tell you to come out. The flesh-bags will most certainly find something strange about a teenage girl piloting a jet. From there, we head into the mainframe of the building. I will access the data files, and the rest will go according to plan_."

Alexis merely grunted in response. Her mind was reeling; she had spent weeks training in preparation for this, and had planned escape multiple times. It sent her spark racing, anticipation and fear blending together. Would the humans blast her to bits upon sight? Would Starscream trample her into the earth for trying to escape if she failed? Would her own government keep her for dissection her if she succeeded? No matter what happened today, Alexis decided, she would survive at the end of it.

The jet touched solid ground, the earth settling around them. Her spark began to pulse faster at the sound of footsteps approaching. Four or maybe five men had surrounded them, weapons at the ready. _So much for sneaking in._

"Halt," a voice called from outside, "You are not authorized to land here. Please step out of the aircraft with your documentation."

"I am afraid that will not be necessary," a sly voice echoed from outside the cabin—Starscream's human holo-form.

"_Now_," his shrill voice shot through her intercom. "_Leave none of them alive_."

Alexis's insides tangled together anxiously at his words, dread building inside of her. "What-?"

"_Kill them immediately! We're wasting time!_" Starscream hissed again.

_**Finally. It's about time you put this body to use**_, the voice trilled happily in her mind. Without realizing what compelled her to do so, Alexis's body kicked into action. She flipped up, smashing the cockpit open with a single kick. The glass cracked under pressure, but did not shatter as it flew open. Before any weapon could fire, she had already moved in with blinding speed, slicing open the neck of the first guard as blades emerged from her forearms.

_What am I doing-? No…. NO! STOP! _

Blood sprayed across her front, soaking into her clothing as she attacked the next man, hacking into them one after one. Her head pounded with the rush of dark energon, and suddenly she had completely relinquished control of her body to its power. The poison numbed her conscience as well as her consciousness, freezing her shock, fear, and revulsion in the moment to store them away for a later time. Right now, the only things existing on this plane of reality were Alexis, her goal, and her enemies.

As a soldier she served only one function. _Fight_.

It all ended in a matter of seconds; her body moved with blinding speed to incapacitate every opponent in her wake. The limp bodies of all four men now lay at her feet, staining the bottoms of her boots with crimson. Alexis could only stare, silent and detached inside her own mind as she surveyed the destruction. She could feel emotions bubbling up in the back of her throat, but something more powerful choked them back for now, shoving them deep inside a part of her that she could not physically touch.

Starscream's human hologram turned to face her once he had pried a gun from the stiff fingers of a corpse. He tossed it in her direction. "Took you long enough. Here, you might need a bit of extra firepower. The flesh-bags inside may not be as hesitant to shoot on sight."

"They're…dead," Alexis said solemnly, kneeling down to feel for a pulse on one man's wrist. None came. The gun landed at her feet, and she could only stare. A dead weight had settled inside of her with knowledge of what she had done, but adrenaline kept her moving. Slowly she rose, holding the weapon to her chest. _What have I done…? Something…something took over me. What—_

_**I saved your aft, that's what, and had quite an enjoyable time doing it. There is no limit to what this body can do! Doesn't it make your blood boil? Red is such a lovely color—it suits us well, don't you think, Alexis?**_

"We cannot afford to waste any more time," Starscream reminded her, breaking through the influence of dark energon in her brain, "Follow me. We'll head to the underground part of the building. Anyone else you see, kill them on sight. Am I understood?"

"Yes," the minicon mumbled, her voice strained from shock.

"302!" the commander growled, "Stop standing there like an incompetent fool! Hurry! I cannot project this form for much longer."

Without reply, Alexis followed him into the building. Screeching sirens howled into her brain mercilessly, echoing throughout every inch of the base. Panicking, Starscream's holo-form broke into a sprint, headed for the building's mainframe, and she bolted after him, struggling to keep up. Shouts resonated from behind them, and a soldiers in their vicinity wasted no time in pursuing them. Gunfire echoed behind them, and Alexis ducked behind a wall just in time for a rain of bullets to sail right past her. One had nicked her arm, pain rocketing through her body.

"_Hurry_," the hologram ordered again, "We don't have time to hide!"

"I'm hit!" Alexis hissed back, gripping the wound to try and stop the flow of energon leaking out onto her skin. The flesh around the wound seared from the acidic substance, and she nearly doubled over. Why in the world did movies make gunshot wounds seem so _minor_? They made it seem easy to get up and walk off the pain, completely missing the fact bullets shattered bone _and_ tissue.

"Activate your armor! We don't have time for this!"

Grinding her teeth together against the pain, Alexis complied. Her skin began to split into small panels and shift, a thick black armor creeping over her. Panels extended out from her body and wrapped around to form a protective barrier between her and the outer world. Her vision filled with purple as a protective visor similar to Soundwave's locked over her eyes. Sparks emitted from the wound in her shoulder, but nonetheless her body seemed to comply.

The duo took off once more, running at full speed. The endless corridors of the base stretched on for what felt like miles, but the rising draft in the air alerted her they were nearing their destination. Gunfire continued to sound behind them, and every now and then they would have to duck behind another wall, Alexis taking aim and firing mercilessly into the enemy. She looked away as faceless bodies hit the ground where they stood, the shells of empty bullets raining down at her feet.

"Here," Starscream rumbled as they descended a few flights of stairs, arriving in a central control room. Large monitors lined the walls, flickering every few moments with images of different areas of the base. He approached the main monitor, long fingers flexing with anticipation as he began to hack the network for the desired information on the Autobots.

"You might want to hurry up, yourself," Alexis breathed, panic rising into the back of her throat. Footsteps echoed all around them, the sounds heavy and thundering throughout the base. The control room had trapped them in the middle of the building from all four sides, with no means of escape.

"I'm working as fast as I can," the Decepticon hissed back. He continued to type away at the keyboard, fixing his vision on the screen as images of files flashed to life.

"_FREEZE!_" someone yelled. Numerous armed men poured into the room.

_Now is your chance! Go! GO! _Alexis screamed internally, her mind pleading with her legs to make a break for the door and run behind the safety of other humans. Her body did not budge. Instead her fingers locked around the trigger of the gun in her hands, taking aim at the rapidly growing wall of soldiers around them.

_**And cower to those incompetent flesh-bags? I don't think so. We're staying right here until the mission is complete**_, a darker part of her growled.

_I have to get out of here…I can't kill anymore… Let me go. GET OUT OF MY HEAD! _

_**Your head? We are one in the same, foolish human. I am no monster inside your mind. I am YOU. Now, SHOOT! **_

Alexis growled, every inch of her body tensing as her instincts and the force in her mind warred for control. Starscream howled more orders at her through the intercom, the clicks of guns taking aim filling her ears. More angry shouts from other human soldiers blended in with the chaos, every noise blending into one large, deafening cacophony that threatened to drive her insane. Her mind was pulling itself apart at the _seams_.

Before she could retaliate, the foundation of the very building itself seemed to shake. The ceiling split open, plaster and loose electric wiring poured down on them relentlessly. Starscream yelped, his hologram wrenching himself from the computer and ducking under the desk for cover. "_Autobots_," he seethed. Sure enough, massive forms with distinctly Cybertronian features descended into the building, blue optics burning fiercely. The holo-form turned to Alexis with a wry smirk, "_You know what to do_." Then, abruptly, it faded from sight.

The girl cursed, ducking for cover beneath another desk and monitor just as more plaster rained down from the ravaged ceiling. The wound in her shoulder burned and her spark pulsed in overtime, energy draining from the exertion. Her insides filled with dread; despite its strength, this body lacked invincibility. Judging from how many men she gunned down today, she did not stand a chance against human authorities. They would kill her on sight, regardless of whether or not she was cornered and practically defenseless.

She shouted into her intercom, "_Starscream, you ASS! How could you leave me here? They're going to kill me! I'm going to DIE because of you! I hope you suffer for this, you RUST BUCKET!_"

As if the universe had answered her, the slim form of the jet blasted across the gaping hole in the ceiling, crashing into every possibly sharp object on the way down as he fell through to the floor. He hissed, laser-fire hounding into his wounded frame. One wing had dented badly with the impact, the mangled seeker scrambling blindly for purchase. A much taller mech jumped down into the control room, red and blue armor reflecting blindingly in the sunlight. He radiated with power and presence as he calmly approached the Decepticon. Weapon pressing into the seeker's face, he spoke in a surprisingly gentle tone, "Give back the information, Starscream. You are unarmed and outnumbered. It would prove futile to try and fight us."

A few other figures descended into the room—a large green mass, a small yellow form, and a blue feminine-looking bot. Starscream's optics widened in panic, but his mouth plates twisted into a smirk when he spotted Alexis hiding behind a desk. Without one word, Starscream aimed his arm at her and fired a single red missile in her direction. She had no time to panic, only roll deeper into the wreckage to dodge the violent explosive as it rocked the world around her. Her hands flew up to cover her head, armor sparking as plaster and sharp metal optics pelted it.

The Autobots retaliated immediately, the leader and blue bot firing at Starscream as the yellow and green raced toward the mass of humans scrambling about the base. Lasers bounced off of Starscream, and he let out a painful hiss, but still managed to transform and fly off, leaving wreckage in his wake. For once, he had succeeded, no Megatron involved!

"Should we go after him?" a female voice intoned, "He got away with a lot of our information, Optimus."

"He only managed to steal the energon deposit coordinates, Arcee," the deep voice from before answered her, "He is still unaware of the location of our base, and the important thing is that we are safe. We will deal with the matter of the coordinates at a more appropriate time. There are many casualties that require our attention now."

"Yes, Sir," the warrior agreed reluctantly, staring after the jet with a burning animosity.

"He can't manage to get far with that wing injury," the green giant piped up. The smaller yellow one whirred a mechanical sound of agreement with him.

"Arcee, contact Ratchet for a ground bridge. Bulkhead, Bumblebee, come with me," the Prime began, but before he could finish giving orders, the yellow bot had already cleared the wreckage, spotting Alexis's form.

The minicon scrambled backward in alert, spark hammering nervously in her chest. Her hands shot up in defense, laser-blasters aimed and ready to shoot, but the sheer force of shock prevented her from firing. Sparks gushed from her armor, energon pooling beneath her trembling form. The yellow Autobot had large, kind optics and a harmless look about him, but Alexis remained on alert. _This is it._

"What's the hold up, Bumblebee?" the green one, Bulkhead, asked as he approached, "_Primus_. What is it? A Constructicon? I haven't seen one of those slaggers in ages! Looks a bit small if you ask me-"

Bumblebee whirred again, shaking his helm as he emitted another string of electronic noises. "You mean to tell me its human? And Cybertronian? That's nuts! What if its one of Soundwave's accessories, like Laserbeak?" Bulkhead tried again. Bumblebee clicked again in protest.

"What did you find, now?" Optimus Prime himself stepped forward, kneeling down to look at Alexis. She swallowed down her nervousness, deciding it best to just get this over with.

With a shuddering sigh she willed her body to change back; despite the force of the dark energon screaming in her veins for her to attack, her common sense won out. The armor dispersed, panels clicking and folding back into place as they retreated back under her skin. The Autobots' optics widened in surprise as the form of a human emerged; no red optics, no sharp teeth greeted them, just an injured, battered teen with mussed auburn hair and panicked green eyes, her grime-coated skin bleeding _energon_.

"Ratchet's going to want a look at this," Bulkhead mumbled.

Optimus pressed a digit to his arm, activating his intercom link; "This is Optimus Prime to base. Ratchet, we have a situation."

**A/N: I apologize for the lack of Autobot action, but this chapter was so long I had to end up splitting it in two. The good news is, that means I'll update a lot sooner on number four since I already have a basis for the beginning. This was so fun to write. I hope you enjoyed. Please give me feedback! Chapter 4 coming soon! **

**-KM**

**Review! Review! Review! **


	4. Sequence 4: Uninvited

Chrome and Ice

**A/N: Thanks so much for all of your wonderful feedback, favorites, and follows! This chapter should be a bit of a relief. I do get carried away when I write action and suspense because I find it the most fun; but a little romance here and there never hurt anyone. Once more, this chapter was so long I had to split it in half. Enjoy! Give me critique please! Good or bad! **

**Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro. **

_You probably thought I wouldn't get this far_

_You probably thought that I'd never escape_

_I'd be a rat in a cage; I'd be enslaved in this place_

_I am the one that you need and fear_

_All your judgments that you placed on me was a reflection of discovery_

_You will crawl out of your hiding place_

_Take a look on the mirror; see the truth on your face_

_I am the doll you created_

_You love me for everything you hate me for_

_-In this Moment, "Whore"_

**Chapter 4: Uninvited**

In all of his years on the battlefield and in the med bay combined, Ratchet had never encountered something as strange as _this_. The girl lay a few meters away under heavy sedation, connected to numerous beeping monitors. At a first glance one would never notice anything off about her, save for an eerie violet glow emanating from the titanium cavity inside her chest. It sickened the medic. Human bodies held _hearts_. Sparks were supposed to be _blue_. What pit-bound slagger had devised something like this for a human child?

"How are things with the human, Ratchet?" Optimus stepped into the med bay, his faceplates stoic. He folded his servos behind his back, watching the other work with unwavering patience. Despite his demeanor, Ratchet could sense the anxiety stirring beneath the surface of his leader. They all wanted to know what had inspired this gruesome little Decepticon 'science' project.

He approached the girl, scanning her systems for any damage. Aside from the bullet wound and surface scratches, she would remain fine for the time being. Later, however, her state would pose a different threat; when her body absorbed the dark energon completely, it would need more.

"She's stable," the medic murmured, "For now."

Like Cybertronians any other race, humans proved themselves more than capable of inflicting horrible things on one another and other species; he would have expected something like this from an organization like M.E.C.H. Though the Decepticons were not above cross-species experimentation, why go as far as to create smaller Cybertronian-esque beings with a race they despised? It made no sense—alongside slaughtering innocent beings, it wasted precious materials and a good amount of energon supply.

"For the time being, let us consider that a…positive thing," Optimus noted carefully. "She is safe, disarmed, and in capable hands."

"I wish I could say so, Optimus. The Cons addicted her body to dark energon. Within the next twenty four to forty eight hours, she'll go into rather violent withdrawal symptoms, no matter what we give her," Ratchet commented.

Optimus's optics dimmed in careful thought. "Then finding the proper treatment is the best course of action from here, until we can learn more of how her systems operate. What is the magnitude of her…loss?"

"From the way things look, there is no way of making her fully human again. Her organs, her natural bone structure…it's all been altered," the medic replied solemnly. "All we can do for now is try to keep her alive. The sooner we wake her and get some answers, the faster we can treat her."

"Perhaps brining in Jack, Raf, and Miko would help; seeing other human faces may give her some sense of security," Optimus suggested.

"Don't bring them near the med bay," Ratchet warned, "Human or not—we have no idea what she is capable of. She may be programmed to attack on sight. There were dozens of bodies on sight today, Optimus. _Dozens_. Ever since that last Decepticon attack on the school north of here…it's best if we don't take our chances."

"She was following orders. Now, I am not excusing what she did, but at the same time, we must take into account that her encounters with Cybertronians have been less than pleasant. Seeing us could trigger a defense response as much as seeing a human target."

"Optimus—"

"I would not endanger the lives of our human friends. See to it that she is properly restrained when she wakes up, but comfortable enough. We must act quickly."

With a defeated sigh, Ratchet turned to the unconscious form on the med berth. "Yes, Sir."

_Primus_, Alexis was really sick of waking up on medical tables.

Sounds, voices, lights, noises—it all blended together and pounded into her brain with a vengeance. Fragments of conversation filtered through her ears.

"…_systems mostly stable…_"

"… _looks like one of those freaky alien experiments from…!_"

"…_attack on the high school last month…._"

"…_.dark energon withdrawal could cause…._"

Everything had happened in a blur—the attack, the explosions, the absence of sanity—as everything tangible drained away to leave her in the dark with nothing. Nothing remained left to hold onto, nothing to inspire the false hope that she was still human, that she was still _Alexis_. Many things loosely defined "humanity", but knowing that _you_ were still _you_ at the end of the day counted more than anything. Right? _Right?_

"There is nothing to be afraid of. You are safe now," a gentle voice coaxed above the others. "It is best if you wake. We can help you…"

Despite the luring pull of exhaustion, the minicon willed her eyes to open. Five pairs of optics and four pairs of human eyes stared back at her, watching her with mixed expressions of curiosity and caution. Alexis gawked back at all of them, unaware of what to say. After nearly two months without human contact, the sight of a human face appeared _strange_ to her—especially a human around her age.

She quickly found herself at a los for words. Glancing down, the minicon noticed her limbs had been restrained, tightly enough to prevent movement but loose enough for some comfort; although in a medical recovery room, clearly there was a limited level of trust here.

The bot known as Optimus Prime opened his mouth to speak, but a pink and black haired girl of Asian descent piped up first, "Is it true you can turn into a mini-Cybertronian? Like, with armor, weapons, and everything? That would be _so_ cool if you had lasers and plasma canons! How do you transform? Can you show me?!"

"Uh…"

"Miko, save it for later," a dark-haired woman said gently.

Optimus cut in before Miko could reply, "These are our human friends, Miko, Jack, Raf, and Ms. Darby. I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. With introductions aside, I understand this is quite a bit to take in for you; however, they have been quite curious to see you and wished to say hello. Ratchet and Ms. Darby will provide you with the best of care here. Given recent evens, I am sure it has been a while since you have seen a human face. What is your name?"

"MC-302," she spoke up, before quickly correcting herself, "_Alexis_. Alexis Parker. Sorry. It's been a…long time since I've had someone ask me my real name. I almost forgot what it was." She strained a laugh to try and lighten the mood, but it only came out as an empty cackle.

"I bet," Miko said with a spunky grin, "What was it like being stuck with the 'Cons for so long? Did you see a lot of epic battles or get to kick some Decepti-creep butt?"

"Miko," Optimus glanced down at her, "Perhaps it would be best to reserve such questions for a later time…"

"But if you never ask you'll never know! Besides, it could help her get some of her memory back," the girl chimed in reply.

"There's not a lot of stuff I want to remember," Alexis mumbled. "There is one thing I want to know. Where am I, and why am I not in a hospital?"

"Due to the extent of…_change_ your body has experienced, you require special treatment," a red and white Autobot—Ratchet—answered, phrasing his words carefully.

"Is this the part where you say you'll do everything in your power to change me back?" she asked solemnly.

Silence came as her only reply. His lack of answer said it all. There was nothing left inside her _to_ change back.

His previous words hit her like bricks, each one piling on until the weight felt unbearable. 'Special treatment' was just another way to say 'you'll never be normal again.' Human doctors had no current knowledge to reverse alien technology; even if they could theoretically make her human again, she would age well into her eighties waiting on all of the organ donors. Alexis simply had to accept it—she was stuck this way, an abnormal, inhuman _freak_.

The leader trained his kind optics on her. "Preparations will be made for you shortly. You are not alone in this."

Tears threatened in her vision, brimming in the inner corners of her eyes as Ms. Darby placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. That simple act of kindness nearly unraveled her at the seams—how long had it truly been since she'd felt human contact? Starscream's hologram did not count at all; he only used it to taunt her. These people truly cared for her. At least, she wanted to believe that they did.

_Don't cry…shit. Don't cry. You're better than this. You've been through worse…_she chanted over and over in her mind. Self-loathing tightened in her chest at the fact she had nearly broken over one obstacle. She was still Alexis Parker; she could remember her name and retain her personality and past. That had to count for something, _right?_

Many of the minicons had long since morphed into senseless _drones_.

Time would only tell how long until she followed suit.

**A/N: Sorry about the lack of eventfulness in the chapter. More is to come! Stay tuned, please! Winter break is coming up, and I'll be writing more! Please leave me a review! I always enjoy your feedback, be it positive or negative!**

**-KM**

**Review! Review! Review!**


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